


Brothers

by Lucigoosey_The_Lightbringer



Series: Renegades (Steven Universe: Homeworld AU) [21]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Aster Universe Has PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Brother Feels, Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Bonding, Brotherly Love, Brothers, Gen, I Am My Mom Gone Wrong, Light Angst, Past Brainwashing, Past Character Death, Past Memory Loss, Renegades Steven Universe AU, Steven Universe Has PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Steven Universe's Brother, also one more thing, please and thank you, shippers do not interact
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 09:47:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,272
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29026722
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lucigoosey_The_Lightbringer/pseuds/Lucigoosey_The_Lightbringer
Summary: Steven raised an eyebrow and smiled, tugging him a little closer and pulling his hand away only to wrap an arm around the gem's shoulders, ruffling his hair lightly. "What're brothers for, huh?"| Post-IASU (I Am Steven Universe.)
Relationships: Steven Universe & Aster Universe
Series: Renegades (Steven Universe: Homeworld AU) [21]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1918204
Comments: 17
Kudos: 32





	Brothers

"I think it's getting darker."

Steven paused his pacing, craning his neck to look back at his pink clone. The gem had hopped up to the window - a great height, mind you - and was balancing on the ledge to peek outside. As if the concept of having a window wasn't weird enough (in some ways Steven was starting to miss the familiarity of his old Room), but the thought of Homeworld somehow getting darker than it was caused an involuntary chill to race up his spine. The hybrid turned, looking down at his bloody, shaking hands for a moment before shaking his head and making his way forward. "That's not… that shouldn't happen. Homeworld's never…" He leveled his gaze with the window for a long moment, then met his pink clone's eyes once more with a frown, feeling a pang of worry stir in his chest for the planet despite himself. "It's not even supposed to get _this_ dark."

His pink clone sat down on the ledge, legs dangling carefully, and held himself up with his hands propped up on either side of him. "It's probably just from all the smoke. It should clear up soon."

Steven looked up at him for a moment, then heaved out a quiet sigh and looked away again. Yeah, should clear up soon now that the fighting was over; the leader of the rebels had been shattered. The thought, once again, caused his gaze to stray back toward his pink clone, who was watching him rather intently until their gazes met again; the gem managed to look a little embarrassed, looking away from him, and Steven couldn't bite back a faint, affectionate smile. He'd grown rather fond of his pink clone the longer they spent in this room. They weren't sure how long it had been, exactly… Steven's guess was a few days, but he couldn't be certain. When it came to Homeworld, he could never quite figure out the way time passed on the planet. It was made exceptionally harder by the fact that he was stuck inside, and the only limited access he had to the outside world was a small window several hundred feet higher above him.

(He would admit that a part of him was grateful for the company this time around, though.)

His pink clone looked back at him suddenly, an alarmed look flitting across his face. His pupils had widened, shifting into exclamation points; Steven couldn't help but stare for a moment, eyebrows raising. He'd seen it happen a few times before; the question marks, exclamation points, he'd even seen diamond pupils once or twice, but those were rather rare and Steven couldn't quite figure out what brought them on, because the gem tended to go dead silent then. The exclamation points usually indicated excitement, or some realization, or he was startled.

"You should sleep. You should be sleeping. You're still part human," the gem fussed, pushing himself off of the ledge to drop down to the floor. He landed a little heavily, and concern churned in the hybrid's chest at once, but the gem seemed rather unfazed as he made his way forward.

"I…" Steven trailed off, furrowing his eyebrows, and glanced away. He was probably right. Steven had gone much longer without sleeping, but that didn't mean it was okay to go without it now. There were no flickering lights, no buzzing to keep him awake, and whatever light there was from the window, which wasn't much, wouldn't hinder any attempts to sleep. But he had a bad feeling about it regardless. "... I don't know… what about you? I don't wanna leave you al-"

"I'll be fine," his pink clone interrupted gently, reaching for him for a second, only to freeze and pull back again. Steven furrowed his eyebrows, concerned and a little surprised by the hesitance, but the gem didn't meet his gaze this time, exclamation point pupils shifting back to normal and shrinking to pinpricks. "Maybe I'll try to sleep, too. I don't need to. But you do."

Steven gazed at him, silent for a moment. "Are you okay?"

His gem didn't respond at once. "Yes," he finally murmured, lifting his gaze up to Steven. He only made contact for a second before looking away again, looking down and folding both of his hands overtop of his half of the gem. "You need to sleep. You should sleep. I promise, I'm okay."

Steven raised his eyebrows and frowned, unconvinced, then shook his head and stepped forward. His pink clone looked up, alarmed as Steven approached, pupils shifting into exclamation points again. The hybrid glanced down at his hands, still folded over his stomach, then lifted his gaze again and reached out to touch his shoulders instead, resting his hands against them carefully and gently curling his fingers into the fabric of his too-small star shirt. The gem's eyes blew wide when Steven touched him, and the hybrid could feel him still under the contact, every muscle in his body pulling taut with startled tension as he stared back at Steven.

The hybrid offered the warmest smile he could muster right then, nothing but affection and comfort in his gaze, and offered a squeeze. "If you're gonna try to sleep, let's do it together."

His pink clone stared at him, exclamation point pupils shifting again. This time, they turned to diamonds, small enough that if Steven wasn't as close as he was right then, he might have missed it. And once again, the gem fell silent, not daring to breathe a word, and just nodded.

He spoke only when Steven pulled back, a hesitant, "okay." A moment later, as Steven prepared himself to turn away and retreat to the corner, he heard him mumble, "I don't like being alone."

Steven froze for a second, blinking, and glanced back.

With every fiber of his being, every facet in his gem aching for his gem half, the hybrid turned back and tilted his head a little to catch the pink gem's gaze again, holding it for a long moment before he spoke. "You're not alone," he told him firmly, and the gem blinked back at him owlishly, pupils widening a little as Steven continued, "as long as I'm here, you'll never be alone. Neither of us will." He reached out, offering a hand, and the pink gem stared for a moment, eyes still wide with a mixture of amazement and shock, then slowly reached out to take it. His hand fit in Steven's like a glove, a puzzle piece clicking perfectly into place, and the hybrid smiled faintly.

He still didn't know what to make of this gem, but he knew he loved him like family. Like… a brother. No, that was exactly what he was to Steven, wasn't he? This pink… _twin_ of his was like a brother to him. A twin, just like the Rutiles. If he really wasn't Steven, and he wasn't Pink Diamond or Rose Quartz, then he was his own person - and either way, they were still family.

The thought warmed him to his very core.

"Thank you," his pink twin said suddenly, still gazing at him, still wide-eyed, still stunned.

Steven raised an eyebrow and smiled, tugging him a little closer and pulling his hand away only to wrap an arm around the gem's shoulders, ruffling his hair lightly. "What're brothers for, huh?" The pink gem ducked his head, a huge grin splitting across his face.

He looked back up at Steven, eyes wide, pupils shaped like diamonds, and Steven had a feeling he'd probably just figured out what that particular shape meant.


End file.
